Reciprocal infection of quails and hens with the nematodes

Cross-infection of domestic and wild birds with different parasite species have been known for a long time (Gvozdev et al. 1964, Kasimov 1965). Artamonova (1969) established, that antagonistic relations existed between ascarids and capillarids while synergistic relations between ascarids and coccidia. Lesinsh et al. (1978) concluded that relations between separate helminth species in a mixed infection may be both antagonistic and synergistic. Positive correlations were reported for chickens infection, but the data of Khaziev (1978) were contradictory. The theory of synergism of two or more parasite species in the host was also mentioned by Kennedy (1978). However, there are no studies of single or mixed infections with the nematodes Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinae in quails and chickens.